Pennsylvania has now been approved for the new, $300/week unemployment program through FEMA and the President's recent Executive Order. 

But for people in our area, it may take some time to see those funds in their bank account. 

Here is what you need to know:

WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM CONTAIN?

The new program, through FEMA, will offer $300 per week to eligible individuals. If the states choose, or are financially able, an additional $100 a week can be added for each person. That portion of the weekly amount must come from state funding. 

Pennsylvania has not indicated whether or not it will supply this extra $100, although Labor and Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak noted in yesterday's press conference that Pennsylvania "does not have the state funds to cover" this amount. 

FEMA will supply funding for three weeks of payments to Pennsylvania, retroactive to August 1st. After that, there is no guarantee the state will receive more funding. This will depend on the state of the $44 billion dollar national fund, as well as whether or not Pennsylvania is deemed needing of more weeks. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

In order for you to be eligible, you will have to certify that you are still unemployed due to factors caused by COVID-19. The process in which this will be verified is still yet to be determined. 

Another key eligibility requirement is people must be making at least $100 per week on current unemployment benefits. If the amount made is less than $100 per week, the person is not eligible for the addition $300 that week. 

WHEN WILL YOU SEE THE MONEY?

This is a question that has still yet to be answered thoroughly. FEMA released a Frequently Asked Questions page recently. One part stated that states should be able to pay out benefits within three weeks of approval. For Pennsylvania, that would be in mid-September.

The Labor Department staff, however, are not as confident about that time frame. Oleksiak has already mentioned that Labor and Industry may need to "create and entirely new system to pay benefits", which could take months to complete. 

Just today, in an interview with Oleksiak and Benefits Policy Director Susan Dickinson, neither would confirm the expected date for the program to be up and running, but did offer some insight when asked about whether or not FEMA's three week prediction was accurate. 

"Three weeks sounds reasonable for many states that may not have a system that is 40 years old, or may not have to create a whole new system because of what they use", said Oleksiak. 

Dickinson added it will take some time to get the payments out: "We're looking to create something for the claimants to be able to provide the information they need for us, and be able to pay that from those separate funds", she said. 

"That will at least take several weeks for us to get that together, and get that tested. It depends on all the intricacies that have to go into it".  

Other state leaders have noted October as a possible date for benefits to be paid out. One state, Arizona, has already started to pay out benefits under this program.  

Currently, congress has yet to pass any bill that would effectively override this program. The next session is scheduled to take place in early September. 

This story was supported by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.